Category Archives: Isturon

Isturon Lightmist had just seen his last patient of the morning and was looking forward to going out for lunch. He finished up the last notes for the patient file and stretched in his chair. It was the first day in weeks that he had actually finished on time for lunch, which meant he usually had to find something in his own kitchen in the back of the house to eat quickly before the afternoon patients started to arrive.

As he stood, there came a knock at the door. It was likely Keras, his receptionist who had been with him for years. Perhaps she would like to join him for lunch out. He opened the door.

“Sir, your son is here to see you.” Keras said before Isturon had a chance to mention lunch.

“Oh, he is?” Isturon said, caught off guard. While his son did have a tendency to drop in whenever, it was rare to see him in the middle of the day on a weekday without prior planning.

“Yes. He’s in the waiting room.”

“Thank you, Keras.” he said as he walked past her down the hall, the idea to eat lunch with her already put aside. The waiting room was only two doors down. He smiled he entered the room, “Hello, Hethurin.”

“Hi, do you have time to talk?”

“I was about to go to lunch. Did you want to eat, or do you need to be back to the school soon?”

“I have time. I just finished teaching the morning lessons. I don’t need to be back for another hour or so.”

“I was thinking about going to that one place with sandwiches at the exchange. Does that sound-” Isturon paused as his son started casting a spell. “Hethurin, that’s not really necessary. It’s not far by foot.”

Hethurin continued the cast just a few seconds longer until a portal opened up in front of them in the waiting room. “Well, it’s here and done, so we might as well use it.” He stepped through the portal.

Isturon sighed and followed him, immediately appearing next to the restaurant he had told his son about. They took a seat outside, and ordered their sandwiches. Isturon took note of his son’s small frowns, and slight ear twitches. “Something’s bothering you.” he said as they waited for their sandwiches.

“I suppose.” Hethurin frowned a bit longer this time while looking at his water. After a slight pause he looked up, “Do you ever worry about us, or miss us?”

Isturon raised a brow, “Us?”

“You know, me and my sisters, or I guess, Vaildor too.”

Isturon sat back in his chair, “I do miss all of you. At the same time, I know you’re adults now, and perfectly able to take care of yourselves. You more than proved that when you moved to the Ghostlands. You have no idea how much I worried then, but look at you now, running a school and engaged. I’m very proud of you, and while I do miss you, I know you’re okay.”

Hethurin didn’t speak immediately. He appeared to be pondering his father’s answer as the waiter brought the sandwiches to the table. After the waiter left, he spoke, “Do you know the orphanages look for sponsors for the orphans one week a year?”

“I wouldn’t have time to take care of an orphan.”

“Oh. No. I didn’t mean you. I meant I had one at the school last week, and now I miss her so much, and I’m worried because she isn’t staying with us anymore because I had to take her back to the orphanage. Her name is Malwen. She doesn’t even have a last name, but she wants one so badly. Her favorite color is blue. She’s seven and a half.”

Isturon’s brow raised as Hethurin continued.

“I bought her a dress, and Terellion made her cake with blue flowers and bought her a doll, and we took her to the faire, and she ate all the food there, and we won a gnoll doll prize for her, and she rode the carousel, and we had our fortunes done and we thought they meant something because they made sense.”

“Fortunes?”

Hethurin nodded, “Mine said, ‘An unexpected relationship becomes permanent.’ Terellion’s said, ‘You may be only one person in the world, but to one person you may be the world’, and I guess it could have meant me, but I really think it meant Malwen. Oh, and her fortune was ‘Make a wish, it might come true.’ Why didn’t it come true? I think that fortune gnoll is a big fat liar.” He stopped to take a bite of his sandwich.

“So you mean to adopt her then? Did you talk to the matron?”

Hethurin nodded again, “We really want to keep her. We had to take her back after the faire, and the matron was mad because we were a bit late. I guess she wanted the kids back during the day, but she didn’t say that before, so I thought it was just supposed to be anytime monday, and we were having fun, so it wound up being late on monday. Anyway, she wasn’t happy about that, but we asked anyway, but then she said that one of the kids came back with a broken arm because of an accident earlier in the day, and she really had to do things by the rules because she thinks there might be an investigation about that. So she wouldn’t extend the sponsorship and we can only go there to visit on weekends. We can’t apply to adopt her yet because we’re not married.”

“Well, if you really want to adopt her, get married.” Isturon stated before taking another bite of his sandwich.

“Yes, and that’s fine if you want to wait another two and a half months, but you could still have the wedding then even if you got married in the Spire today.”

Hethurin blinked in stunned silence for only a few seconds before abruptly standing up, knocking over his chair, then stumbling as his robe was caught on the falling chair. “Okay. I’m all right.” He said, catching his balance. He bent to straighten the chair. He started casting a spell right there, but stopped. He reached into a pocket and left some coins on the table. “Pay for my sandwich. Oh, here’s some extra. Thank you.”

Before Isturon could say anything else, Hethurin started casting his spell again. A few seconds later he faded from view, no doubt he was off to bring up the subject to Terellion. Isturon continued sitting and finished his sandwich.

Some really short stories I wrote that relate to the guests at the Confessor and Lani’s wedding. Sorry they’re all out of order.

***

[[ This one takes place just after the Confessor and Lani’s wedding ceremony. ]]

Keyalenn Goldbrand lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He wasn’t sick. That was a lie he had told in order to be excused from the festivities early. While he was happy for the Confessor and Lani, and he did want to be there at their party, he couldn’t take the heartache he felt when seeing Linarelle. During the ceremony, he had tried to ignore his feelings, but the more he tried , the worse he felt. So, after the ceremony was over, he told the Magister he felt ill and that he was going to his room.

His stomach growled. He could hear the music from the party in the garden outside his open window. The thought occurred to him that he could go out, and get some food to bring back up. Maybe no one would see him, but then, he thought he might not be that hungry. It was just his stomach growling. He didn’t really feel like eating.

If he did go, he might see her, and that was the deciding factor. He lay still upon the bed, staring at the ceiling as tears welled up in his eyes. He’d rather not take the chance.

***

[[ This one takes place the evening before the wedding. ]]

It was a different house, Aunt Lani’s house, and there was so much to explore. Rylad was faster on his feet now than he was the last time he was here. He ran from one room to the next. The stairs were blocked, and the rooms were small, but it was fun. Aunt Lani wasn’t there, but he wasn’t alone. Two other elves sat at the table in the small dining room. One of them used pencils on a book. That wasn’t right. Minn’da said it wasn’t good to draw on books. The older elf here didn’t seem to know there was anything wrong with it. Maybe it was okay here.

Rylad stopped running and climbed up on one of the chairs to stand on and see better. The older elf reached over to help Rylad, but Rylad pushed his hand away. Rylad doesn’t need any help! The older elf still kept his hand near Rylad’s back without touching him. That was okay. Rylad hit the table with both hands and yelled in triumph.

He started to climb up on the table and reached for one of the pencils. That was when the older elf picked him up. He took the pencil out of Rylad’s hands and handed it to the other elf who was still sitting with his book open. The other elf took it. Rylad screamed. They took his pencil! He started kicking and flailing his arms as he continued to cry. Where was Minn’da? He cried out her name. Maybe she would come for him. He didn’t want to be picked up. He arched his back and cried louder as the older elf carried him to the other room.

Where was Minn’da? Where was Saff? He cried for both.

“Shh. It’s okay. Look, here’s your blanket.” The older elf said as he sat in a chair and pulled the blanket, which had a little tiger on it, over Rylad. His voice was gentle and soothing. Rylad forgot why he was crying as the older elf rocked him back and forth. His eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep.

***

[[ The last three take place the day after the wedding. ]]

Perothis had arrived home late the night before, and wasn’t able to speak to his parents then as they were already asleep. He woke up early this morning, and started planning what he would say to them. It wasn’t that they were against him becoming a ranger some day, and preferably, that’s what Perothis would like eventually anyway. For now, he was working, and training in the city. He was supposed to be saving up money for further training, but Desdeyliri had introduced him to the ranger captain in the Ghostlands the night before. He’d be able to join them and receive free training.

Of course, the obvious benefit was that he would be much closer to Des, and would be able to see her more often. Another obvious benefit would be the free training and immediate work. He was already saving up to get his own place as well, so being able to do that without worrying about further training would be ideal.

He did think he would miss the city, just a little. He’d miss his friends and his parents, and maybe even his sister a little too. He wasn’t sure about buying a house in the Ghostlands either. Most of them were in need of extensive repair. It was either that or build his own home, and he didn’t know much about building or fixing! Of course, the captain had mentioned that he would be able to stay at the ranger building. That would do to start with.

He heard his mother call out his name. Breakfast was ready. He took a deep breath. It was time to tell them.

***

Gaelardrim had always preferred to think of himself as being a logical person. If something didn’t make sense, he didn’t consider it an option. He was surprised then by his recent thoughts concerning one of the students at the mage school. There was no doubt her parents would not approve of her seeing a ranger. Mage students often came from the more affluent homes, those that could afford the tuition. They typically didn’t approve of their daughters running about with guys who didn’t have much, like rangers. Gaelardrim knew that first hand. His own family had been wealthy.

Of course, he didn’t have it now. The money was tied up in the Silvermoon courts as they decided exactly where it should go. Gaelardrim wasn’t sure he wanted it, even if they did decide it belonged to him. The mansion he had lived in, sat locked and rotting on one of the streets where most of the homes were in the same state and situation. His family was gone now. He was the only one left. The only one who saw that it didn’t make sense. The only one who had refused to go.

And yet, while he could see that he was setting both himself and Maerista up for heartbreak, he didn’t understand how he could still feel so powerless to stop it. He should be able to just say he couldn’t see her anymore and let that be that, but the very thought made him shake his head, almost in panic. He wanted to be with her, but it didn’t make sense. He had even kissed her!

“I love her.”

“What was that?” Ty asked. They had been practicing at the targets as they did every day.

Gaelardrim looked up, unaware that he had spoken out loud until Ty said something. “Oh, nothing. That was a nice shot.” he said, nodding towards the target.

Thankfully, Ty didn’t question any further, and allowed the conversation to turn towards their practice.

***

They’re hiding something. I know it. That was the one thought Vallindra kept having since meeting the boy her sister had adopted. They had told her that he was a local orphan. A local orphan who happened to have the same name as her dead brother. She would have been able to accept that as the truth, if she had never met him, but the moment she saw that dark red hair she had her doubts. His face was too close to how Sanimir looked at the same age, but he was far too young to be the real Vaildor, besides, she remembered very well that night over a hundred years ago when he had died as a baby. She frowned slightly. No. I won’t feel guilty for that. I was just a kid.

She shook her head. Whatever had happened then was done, and in the past. That didn’t change the fact that there was a boy here who looked like he belonged in the family and had the same name. She was determined to get to the bottom of it. She picked up her pen and began inking a letter to the Spire in Silvermoon where they kept the records.

Things had been better while sitting next to Isturon. They waited as each of their sisters came over. Of course, they were curious about his name. Some of them mentioned how he had similarities to other family members. Esladra came out and asked if Vaildor was actually Hethurin’s son. Isturon had gently insisted that Vaildor was only a local orphan with a coincidental name and likeness. She seemed to believe it. All in all, it was going fairly well.

At least it was, until Verisna stepped up to the table where the three men sat.

“Hello, Mother.” Hethurin said, warning the other two to look up from Vaildor’s drawing. A glance sideways showed him that Vaildor looked up with a big smile.

“You, you imposter! You weasel your way into this family by claiming you’re my son! What are you after? An inheritance? I’ll make sure you get none, you little con-artist.”

Verisna didn’t let him finish. “Liar.” she called him while looking him directly in the eyes. “I’ve heard an entirely different story before.” She looked Hethurin’s direction.

Hethurin bit his lip, “Oh.”

“Hethurin, how much did you tell her?”

“Everything.”

“The truth?”

Hethurin nodded, “I was on a roll with the truth. It just kind of came out.”

Verisna’s brow went up. She looked at Isturon, “He told me some crazed story about someone kidnapping him in timelines or something. The boy needs help, and this other boy is just a con artist.” She looked again at Vaildor, who still sat with a shocked look on his face. “I know your type. You crawled out of a gutter on Murder Row, decided you’d find a well off family that you look like and pretend to be a long lost relative.”

Vaildor shook his head. He was visibly shaking now.

Verisna continued, looking again at Isturon. “You can’t possibly believe the story that Sanimir’s telling. No son of mine wastes his time scribbling on paper.”

Hethurin picked up one of Vaildor’s pencils and started doodling some stick figures along the edge of Vaildor’s paper.

“What do you think you’re doing?” his mother asked.

“Getting disowned. I wish I had known this before.”

Verisna blinked. “I didn’t mean you. I meant this imposter.”

Hethurin opened his mouth to reply, with intentions on pointing out that when she said ‘no son’ it meant not any, including him, but he was cut short of saying anything when Vaildor quickly got up and ran inside. He found himself saying instead, “I’ll go find him.”

He could hear his parents still arguing as he went towards the house.

“You can’t believe that story.”

“No. I believe he’s an orphan from…”

“You know I’m right! He’s a con artist. You can go ahead and be stupid and put him in your will, but at least I know better.”

Hethurin shut the door behind himself, and started looking for Vaildor.

Isturon Lightmist sat in the sitting room of Fairsong Academy as he drank his morning tea in front of the large fireplace. He could hear his son speaking to his students in the classroom, but only just barely. He couldn’t make out what was being said, and he doubted he’d understand if he did. He held his cup up to his lips as he looked up out the large windows. It was a warm morning, for the area. He himself was used to much warmer mornings in the city, so despite it being warm, he had still shivered as he had walked down to the smaller house by the stables earlier in the morning, just as he had the previous day. Two of his daughters were living in the small home now, though one of them was there only temporarily. She had mentioned wanting to stay in the area in the future, so maybe she would be there for a longer time. He was happy to see Nessna’s continued improvement with her injuries. He had no doubt she would recover. Lani had dutifully been helping her younger sister, both with her recovery, and her baby.

Isturon smiled a little. Rylad’s personality was beginning to show and he certainly seemed to be a happy baby. He had laughed so much this morning as he sat in a high chair with one of his toys. He would drop it, and Isturon would pick it up for him. He’d drop it again right after, often while looking right at Isturon, and laugh gleefully as Isturon picked it up once more. Lani was concerned that he was spoiling the baby by playing along, but Isturon assured her that it was just a little game.

He had also been able to speak to Lani, semi-privately after having breakfast with them. He had followed her to the kitchen and helped her with the dishes. She had been strangely quiet, as she had the day before. Yesterday, she had admitted that she had recently found out that someone liked her, though she felt he was just a friend. Isturon found out later in the evening, while sitting at the dining table at the main house, that there was something else troubling her. She liked someone else. One of the students and a ranger from the area had told him as they waited for supper. They said, after a bit of prying, that the one she liked was the Confessor in town. Today, he had spent much of the morning trying to get her to admit to it on her own, but every time he asked if there was someone she liked, she insisted that things would be best if he picked someone for her. At the end of his visit, he asked for the name of the man who said he liked her. She hesitantly told him, Tylenthis, a ranger. He turned to go, glancing back as he closed the door. She was wiping her eyes.

He sipped his tea again before setting the cup down on the small table and leaning forward to write.

Confessor Morthorn,

I’d like to meet with you at your convenience over a matter of importance. I will be staying at Hethurin’s estate for the next two weeks, so you may contact me here. I can easily make it in to town if need be. Let me know when is good for you.

Aeramin’s hair has changed. I removed some of my custom things to fix the game. It didn’t seem to help much, unfortunately. He looks good this way though so I don’t think I’ll bother finding the old hair and putting it back! I also gave him make up because I could totally see him trying to be prettier.

He’s getting better at performing!

Vallindra has her hands full with baby Embersuns!

Sanimir doesn’t seem to mind that the game made a zombie copy of him. Nor does he mind if his zombie copy runs around in his swimwear! He was way too busy fishing to notice.

I hope all is going okay in Kalimdor. I’m doing okay here in the Ghostlands. Sometimes I think the magister just doesn’t like anything I do. You know my tendency to doodle? Doesn’t everyone do that? Anyway, he saw my doodles and didn’t like them.

He has a butler who was sent to fight. He just came home with a nasty injury recently. I thought before that the sooner you came home the better, but now I don’t think so. I think if you come home with everyone else, that’ll be the best. I do hope that is soon though.

I’m doing well in my studies, despite the magister hating me. He keeps giving me more and more work to do. I was in my practice room until almost bedtime last night! Luckily, the workers here often bring food to the practice rooms for us, so I didn’t miss supper.

It’s starting to get cold here at night. My room is above the big sitting room with the big fireplace though, so I get some heat from that. I think some of the other rooms have their own fireplaces. Mine’s too small for that.

We haven’t visited Silvermoon much recently. Maybe I’ll see if one of the other students will ask the magister. I have a feeling that if I ask, he’ll just make us wait longer.

Be careful, and come home with everyone else, which I hope is soon!

– Keyalenn

***

[[ This letter arrives from Pandaria to Shattrath along with a small package to the Whitemorn household. ]]

Theronil,

I hope all is well. I’ve been doing well in Pandaria. I’ve been working with the local metals and gems here. I’ve sent along some ear cuffs for Isandri. I hope she likes them.

The people here are very strange. They’re big bears and have fur all over, and sharp teeth. They seem welcoming though, for the most part. Once in a while you meet a grumpy one who doesn’t like “outsiders”. I can’t say I blame them much.

Kit and I have been staying in a place called the Jade Forest. I’m not sure if it’s because trees are green, or there’s a jade mine here. Maybe neither, or maybe both! It is nice here though. Sometimes we make trips to the Vale. Our last trip came with a shock. It was a beautiful place, a bit like Eversong, but now it’s been destroyed. There’s a big blackened hole in the ground where the pools used to be. I heard multiple sources describe it as that orc’s doing.

I also heard that there is a war on Orgrimmar now. Do you know anything about that? I suppose if there is one, you might be there now. If that’s the case, hello Isandri. I hope you’ll forward this letter to my brother and that you like your ear cuffs! And Thero, if you are there, be careful. This orc is extremely dangerous. What happened in the Vale is a testament to that.

– Teniron Whitemorn

***

Dear Lanthiriel,

Forgive me for not writing sooner. Things have been rather hectic here since most healers have gone to Kalimdor. I have not only taken on your patients, but it seems half of Silvermoon’s patients as well. Not many healers were left behind. Isandri’s help has been invaluable these past weeks, but I refuse to let her stay past the time she would have normally left. On the other hand, I find myself staying in the office later and later.

Not only are we taking care of the patients who were already here, but we need to keep a few emergency spots open each day. Many of the people being sent home due to injuries still need a healer’s attention. I’ve heard news from Kalimdor from some of them. Lately, they’ve been saying that they’re in the city now. If that’s true, then maybe it won’t be much longer. I worry about you being there.

Your mother is still staying with her sister, and Esladra is with her. I had hoped Esladra would want to help out in the office as well after her studies were done for the day, but I’ve heard little from either of them. Esladra did mention that she only has one class now. The few instructors who stayed behind are still giving their classes. Her apprenticeship is on hold for the time being.

Have you heard from your brother recently? I want to get out to visit him, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon. I’ve been scheduling some patients for the weekend!

I am doing well, just very busy. I hope you are doing well too.

– Isturon

***

My Love, Isandri,

I hope all is well at home. Our camp is usually quiet, though there has been a steady increase in injuries being brought in over the past few days. The news is, they’ve made it past the gate, but the orc hasn’t been found yet. My group is still holding its position as a supply camp, so that’s good news. If they’ve cleared out the front of the city and still want to keep us at the same distance, that’s fine with me! Our mage, the one who conjures our food, said it would be more difficult for the others if the spot to make the portal to kept changing. I guess that makes sense a bit.

Is the baby growing well? I’m so excited to hear it might be a boy. How sure are they? I’d love a girl too.

I miss you so much. I think Arelanis still misses you too. She’s been a good dragonhawk though, and has saved us from the mage’s poorly conjured food a couple of nights by bringing us boars to cook and eat. I miss your cookies too.

Is everything okay in Shattrath? How is everyone else doing? I hope they’ve been coming to see you and make sure everything’s okay.

I love you. You’re so beautiful. I can’t wait to be home to hold you again.

Love,

Thero

***

Confessor Morthorn,

Hi! I wanted to let you know that Tik is here at home, and is doing well. He’s taken up doing most of his normal duties, except killing the spiders. I’m still doing that. He and Terellion worked out their duties together, and they both decided I should have less cake.

I don’t like that last part, but I’m glad he’s back. I think he’s very lucky, considering.

My students enjoyed the trip to Shattrath. The library is always the highlight of the trip there, but I’m trying to figure out a way to safely take them out of the city next time. With more students now, I’m afraid I might lose one! One in particular likes to wander off a fair bit, and usually finds trouble when he does. I can only hope he resists the temptation to do so on any field trips there. I wouldn’t want him to be dinner for a Netherdrake!

Oh! Tik went to get the recipes from the death knight. I guess death knights don’t know how to write or something, because he refused to put it on paper. He did let Tik watch and take notes as he made some though, so now we have the recipes in the house. I bet they’ll be the best cakes ever. It’s too bad they won’t let me eat more of them!

I did have the talk with the new hired person, and we are getting to know each other better. He thought I hated him! I don’t know where he got that idea. We’re not being too serious yet, but oh he’s so tempting. I think it’s better to take it slower though. He hasn’t done things like that before, so that’s even more reason to take it slow. That, and I’m nervous about it, for a variety of reasons. He’s a bit younger than me, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be the first time for him. I want it to be good for both of us, and I think we should be in love. I don’t know how to make sure of that though. I want him to stay here, is that like or love? Is it when we say it? I don’t know. I like him a lot, and I don’t want him to leave, but maybe I don’t know him well enough to love him yet. I don’t think he feels that for me yet either. Maybe soon.

We haven’t been very open about our relationship with the others. Sometimes I feel like I’m a bad secret to him. I understand that it’s probably not best to tell everyone, but I don’t like having to sneak around about it. I want to be able to kiss him in the sitting room by the fire there, and not have to worry about who sees us! I guess if he loves me someday, we’ll tell people.

Anyway, that’s news from here. Tell Lani her house is almost ready! I hope everyone is back home soon!